Layout, design and features …
The Cooler Master MK730 is very compact thanks to the absence of the number pad. By using standard MX Red Switches with 4mm travel and the rather thick base plate with LED light strips on front and sides it is quite high with a total of 40mm. The keyboard is in plain black, also the top plate made of brushed aluminium is black.
There are no screws visible on the underside, these are apparently hidden under the sticker with the serial number and/or the front rubber pads. Disassembly is therefore not possible without destroying the sticker.
The palm rest is also black with a padded surface of imitation leather. It is simply docked to the keyboard using magnets. The comfort of the pad is quite good thanks to the padding. Altogether the wrists found the keyboard after longer use but still a tiny bit too high. The magnets are hidden behind the plastic frame and not too strong. At least to the left and right the wrist-rest is often slipped.
The USB cable is with almost 2m more than sufficiently long and fabric coated. It is not firmly connected to the keyboard, but is connected to it with a USB type C plug.
The keys are equipped with Cherry Red MX switches. The red switches have a linear switch characteristic without the classic “click” of the blue switches.
They trigger after only 45 Zentinewton and 2mm switching travel.
In the following table we have created a small Cherry MX switch comparison, where you can compare the switch type, the click sound, the actuating force in Zentinewton, the forward travel and the total travel to select the right switch for your application.
| Cherry MX Switches Comparison | ||||||
| Type | Marks | Characteristic | Sound | Force | Total travel | Pre travel |
| Cherry MX RED | Effortless and fast | Linear | Silent | 45 cN | 4.0 mm | 2.0 mm |
| Cherry MX BROWN | Tactile and quiet | Tactile | Silent | 55 cN | 4.0 mm | 2.0 mm |
| Cherry MX BLUE | Precise and audible | Tactile | Audible click | 60 cN | 4.0 mm | 2.2 mm |
| Cherry MX BLACK | Sensitive and precise | Linear | Silent | 60 cN | 4.0 mm | 2.0 mm |
| Cherry MX SPEED Silver | Fast | Linear | Silent | 45 cN | 3.4 mm | 1.2 mm |
The keyboard is equipped with non-slip, quite large rubber feet. In spite of the only 700g it stays on its place even in hectic shooters.
Besides the 88 keys with German QWERTZ keyboard layout, the MK730 has no other macro or multimedia keys. However, all functions can be accessed via the FN key with the Cooler Master logo using keyboard shortcuts.
In the scope of supply of the keyboard are also 9 striking violet coloured “Gaming Keypads”, which can be used instead of the normal keypads for the keys W, S, A, D, ESC and the arrow keys.
A practical keypad remover is also included.
Just attach …
… and pull the cap off with it.
The lettering on the gaming pads is not very visible when the LED lighting is switched off.
Cooler Master MK730 Software …